


omaze for beginners

by Signe_chan



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: First Meeting, Geno is a fan, M/M, au: Geno isn't a hockey player
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-14 03:56:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11199951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Signe_chan/pseuds/Signe_chan
Summary: Deciding to raffle a day of his time to a fan in aid of the little Penguins had seemed like a good idea at the time. Now Sid has to live with his choices and meet some Russian guy.





	omaze for beginners

**Author's Note:**

  * For [itsacoup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsacoup/gifts).



“You know you’re going to have to leave the ice sometime, right?” 

Sid sighed because, yes, he did know that, thanks a lot. He swung his stick and sent another puck smashing into the back of the empty net before turning to look at Flower. He was out of his pads already and waiting at the mouth of the tunnel. 

“Just getting in a little shooting practice.” 

“Just stalling,” Flower said with a knowing grin. Sid really hated that grin. “Come on, you’re the one who signed up for this. And it’ll be over in a few hours.” 

Sid sighed dramatically and skated over to the tunnel. It had all seemed like a great idea when he’d signed on the dotted line. Lots of celebrities were doing charity raffles and making a lot of money. Sid gave but the little penguins could always use more gear and more coaches to reach more kids. And this way Sid only had to meet one winner, not smooze with an entire room full of rich assholes and hope one of them would reach into his pocket. 

“What was his name? The guy who won?” 

“Can’t remember,” Sid grumbled, shoving past Flower. “Something Russian?” 

“Have they, like, had to fly him in them?” 

“No, he lives here. I think. Nobody’s said anything about flying him in.” 

“It’s not Ovi, is it? He’d love to win a date with you.” 

“It’s not a date, Flower.” 

“Whatever you say,” Flower said, grinning unrepentantly. And it wasn’t a date. It hadn’t been advertised as a date and if the guys wanted to think of it as that, that was on them. They were only chirping. 

It maybe wasn’t great that a few of the chirps about this being his first date in years hit a little too close to home. 

Maybe Sid had hoped, a little, that when he came out, he’d be able to date more. Turned out that he’d only thought he was famous when he was the face of the NHL. Now he was the face of gay sport, apparently, and though there were no shortage of people who wanted to date the face of gay sport, none of them seemed to want to date Sid. 

Which the guys chirped him about because why was he moping when he could be getting laid? So what if they only wanted him for his celebrity? 

Sid had never been able to work like that. 

Which was why this was going to be a fucking disaster. He wasn’t great at talking to fans for too long and this guy was a fan. He’d expect things. This was a big win of a big competition. Sid wasn’t sure lunch, a tour of the arena and skating with the little penguins would be enough to satisfy this guy. 

What if he expected more? A personal connection? For them to become friends? 

It wasn’t worth thinking about. 

“Just chill out,” Flower said, slapping him on his back. “Maybe he’ll be okay. I mean, just talk about hockey or something. You might actually get on.” 

“Maybe,” Sid agreed, mostly to get Flower off his back. Flower just smiled that infuriating smile again and Sid tromped off into the locker room to get changed. 

***

Katie from PR met him outside the locker room and he knew she wasn’t there to make sure he didn’t run, but he couldn’t help but think how a side-effect of her being there was that he couldn’t run. 

Not that he would have really. Probably. He knew, really, that it was better just to get the thing over with. To meet this Russian, get through the day, and then go home and never think about it again. And at least he’d get to skate with the little penguins later so, clouds and silver linings. 

So Katie wasn’t a security guard, but he still kept quiet. Still walked along reluctantly beside her until they got to the area right next to the door. 

Marcus from PR was waiting there with a man. A tall, ridiculously gangly man. A man who looked up and beamed when he saw Sid standing there, stalled in the doorway like an idiot and oh. Oh shit. 

He was hot. 

Not in, like, a film star way. But in a real way. Like you’d be able to touch him and laugh with him and he’d still be real. Like he was honest and present in his own skin and, damn, that smile. Sid might not have even noticed how hot he was if it wasn’t for that smile. So big and genuine, like Sid was a long lost friend who he hadn’t expected to see again and Sid almost wanted to play into it. Almost wanted to go over and strike up a conversation. 

Only this was a fan. Not a friend. He had to remember that too. 

Shit. 

“Hello,” the man said. He stepped forward, held out his hand for Sid to shake. Out of the corner of his eye, Sid saw Marcus and Katie exchange glances. They had to all know that Sid didn’t like touching people. 

He was going to make an exception for this guy. When Sid shook his hand, the other man’s hand was big and warm and wrapped right around Sid’s and Sid intentionally pushed away thoughts about other ways this man might wrap around him. He was a fan. Sid just had to remember that. A fan, not a potential date. 

“Hi,” Sid said. “It’s good to meet you. I’m Sid.” 

Of course he was Sid. This guy knew that. What a fucking stupid thing to say. 

“Nice to meet, Sid. I’m.” And then the guy said something that didn’t sound anything like the name PR had given him. 

“What?” 

The guy said the thing again. “Is okay, is Russian name. I’m know is hard for Americans. Friends here call me Geno.” 

“Geno,” Sid said, relaxing. That was a lot easier to say. 

“Yes, can be Geno for you. We go now, see arena?” 

“Sid’s very busy today,” Katie cut in, and it was only when she did that Sid realised he was still holding Geno’s hand. Shit. That was weird, right? Shit. He dropped it right away. “We’ll give you a tour after the little Penguins, when Sid’s gone. Lunch, first.” 

“Lunch is good,” Geno said, nodding. Sid could only agree.

***

"So, do you play?" 

As conversational gambits went, it was probably a little weird. It certainly wasn't going to help Sid shake the impression he seemed to give that he could only talk about hockey, which wasn't the impression he was sure he wanted to give here. 

Geno just smiled, leaning in close like he had a secret to tell. "Little. I play in Russia. Was good. Maybe Superleague. But break leg, it not heal right. Now I'm play rec league." 

"Well, it's good that you still get to play," Sid said. He honestly couldn't imagine not playing. He'd probably be a mess if what had apparently happened to Geno had happened to him instead. 

"Was not good at first," Geno said with a rolling shrug which was, really, unfairly attractive, drawing attention as it did to the width of his shoulders. "Was angry. Sad. Now is better. Space and time, Sid. Make things better." 

"Sure," Sid agreed. "Maybe I could come down and watch you play some time. I mean, that's probably weird." He'd put money on Geno being a fantastic player. He had the build for it, even if he wasn't quite up to NHL levels of fitness. And there was something about the way he moved that made Sid want to see him on the ice. 

It was possible that Sid had a type. He wasn't sure he believed it but the guys told him he did. Flower described it as 'as close to a professional hockey player as possible'. Which was probably fair. Sid didn't date in the league because there was too much potential for things to go horribly wrong. He didn't like the idea of facing down his lover on the ice, not in a match that mattered. And them being on the same team could be just as bad. It'd make people uncomfortable. 

But, yes, if Sid had a type, his type would be hockey players who he didn't personally have to play with or against. 

Geno smiled a crooked smile and Sid's heart fluttered alarmingly. 

"Maybe is weird for big NHL star to come watch little rec league game but I'm not mind. Would love you to watch me play, Sid." 

"Okay," Sid said, throat a little dry. 

He shouldn't have said that. Shouldn't have agreed to maybe seeing Geno again after this. But Geno was beaming and goddamnit. Sid was weak. 

If only he wasn't a fan. 

***

"Yes! Is good!" 

Sid looked out across the rink. Gino was stood in the middle of a group of kids, beaming that beautiful smile. Sid only dared to look a second before turning his eyes back to the kids he was meant to be working with but Geno's laughter rang across the ice. 

It wasn't fair. 

It had been so long since Sid felt like this. Normally, it took him a while to warm up to new people. But Geno. It would have been bad enough that he was hot. It would have been bad enough that he was funny and that he understood hockey. But now! Now, he was good with kids. Now, he'd stepped on to the ice and had hardly looked over at Sid, so busy with his little group. 

This was meant to be awkward. Meant to be terrible. Geno was meant to be some weird obsessive fan who wanted to lick Sid’s armpits for luck. He wasn't meant to be this! 

"Sid," one of the kids said, tugging at his sleeve. "What do we do now?" 

Good question. Sid wished he had some answers. 

"Come on. Let's do some shooting drills." The kids cheered. They were always glad to get to try for a goal. 

***

“I’m always want dog,” Geno said, wistfully. “Big one. Good for hugs. Papa never want, though.” 

“Don’t you live over here now? Nobody’s stopping you.” 

“Yes,” Geno sighed, throwing a casual arm around Sid’s shoulder. Sid tried not to lean into it too much. He didn’t like hugs. Everyone knew he didn’t like hugs. He was just starting to think that he could get to like hugs if they always felt like this. “But am work lots. Would not be fair to dog.” 

“I know that feeling,” Sid said with a laugh. He’d once considered drawing out a relationship with a guy he didn’t like just so he’d get to pet the guy’s dog a few more times. 

“Um, guys?” 

Sid looked over and, yeah, Katie from PR was standing there in the locker room door. Her eyes were very pointedly not trained on the arm slung around Sid’s shoulder and suddenly it felt heavier. More obvious. Sid shifted a little and Geno let it fall away. 

“Yeah, Katie?” 

“Sid, you’ve got another appointment soon. And Geno, if you want the building tour, we’d better get going. Though you seem to have seen the locker rooms already.” 

Because Sid wasn’t meant to bring him in here. Shit. Geno was meant to have changed in the visitor’s locker room, though they were only putting skates on. Sid had insisted on it. In the planning, it had felt too intimate to have a stranger here in his space. The place where he prepared to play. 

But then, when he’d walked down here with Geno, it had seemed natural to bring him here. To sit him down in the next stall over. To chat as they laced up. 

Geno had said he was good enough for the Superleague, maybe. Sid couldn’t help wondering if, in another life, they’d have had this. They’d have played together. Or against each other. Met each other on the ice as equals. Not as fan and celebrity. Not with this weird line between them. 

Sid couldn’t date a fan. He didn’t even know if Geno was gay. He couldn’t ask. He couldn’t. 

“Sid?” 

“Yeah.” Sid said, turning to Geno. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.” A sponsor event. He’d scheduled it after this so there was no way an awkward fan encounter could run long. Idiot. He should have left himself free then he could have shown Geno the arena. He could have had more time. 

But, then, he hadn’t known Geno would be Geno. Hadn’t even known he could want this. Feel a connection like this to someone he barely knew. 

He had to think about that. He barely knew Geno. Whatever this was, whatever Geno was to him, he’d be over it soon. 

“I’m understand, Sid,” Geno said. And maybe Sid was projecting but his smile didn’t seem as wide. “You maybe come see me play rec league? Okay?” 

“I’ll try,” Sid said. Geno’s face fell a little more and Sid tried not to wince. He would try. He would. 

He just had a lot of other things. 

And Geno was a fan. 

Geno wasn’t for him. 

“Okay, Sid,” Geno said, softly. He held out his hand for Sid to shake and when Sid took it, Geno stepped in an awkwardly hugged him with the other arm. It was safe and warm and, shit, Sid wanted this. 

If only Geno wasn’t a fan. 

“Come on,” Katie said, perky as ever. “Let’s show you around. Sid, we’ll catch up later.” 

“Sure,” Sid said. He forced himself to take a step back. Forced himself to break all contact with Geno. Turned his eyes to his stall and counted to ten. When he looked up, Geno was gone. 

***

“So, was it has bad as you thought?” 

Sid almost jumped out of his skin. He turned from his car to see Flower walking up behind him, smirk in place. Shit, he’d thought he was alone. Thought he’d get a minute to sulk in peace before he had to let go and move on like an adult. 

“It was fine. Why are you still here?” 

“Had a meeting,” Flower shrugged, stepping closer. He was smirking like he could scent the blood of Sid’s half truth in the water. “Tell me about it. Did he fall on his face on the ice? Did he ask you to marry him?” 

“No,” Sid said, annoyed at his own defensive tone. “It wasn’t like that. He wasn’t like that. He was a good skater. He was good with the kids. He was... nice.” 

Flower was grinning. Damn, Sid’d obviously said too much. He should have just let Flower think Geno was a bad skater. Only Geno WASN’T a bad skater and Sid didn’t WANT Flower to think that. 

Today was obviously not going his way. 

“Did you get his number?” 

“What?” Sid was flushing. He could feel himself flushing. “No. Why?” 

“Oh, come on. You like him. I can tell.” 

“I can’t like him,” Sid said, as quickly as he could. Better to cut this off now. “He’s a fan.” 

“So?” 

“So? It’s not appropriate.” 

Flower laughed, but stopped quickly when he realised Sid wasn’t laughing too. Sid found himself blinking because, well, he’d thought it was obvious. Dating a fan was just something that you didn’t do. 

“Was he, like, a crazy intense fan? Did he tell you about the shrine he keeps in his bedroom for you?” 

“No. He was nice. Normal.” 

Flower sighed. “Sid. Sid. Why didn’t you get his number?” 

“He’s...” 

“He’s a guy who likes hockey. Who can skate. You said he’s nice. Just... you deserve to have nice things. Tell me you know that, Sid. Tell me you know you can have nice people in your life.” 

Sid knew that. He did know that. It was just sometimes hard to remember. 

“Doesn’t matter now. He’s gone anyway.” 

“Then go after him. Ask PR, they’ll give you his number. Is he actually out of the building yet? Didn’t he have a tour?” 

He did have a tour. He should still be in the building. Maybe. If Sid ran...

If Sid really wanted this. 

“What if he doesn’t want to?” 

Flower sighed, then stepped forward and pulled Sid into a rough hug. Sid let him, leaning in a little. 

He just didn’t want to go running all around the building only for Geno to say no. 

He just didn’t want Geno to say no. 

“Go ask him, Sid. It’s the only way you’ll ever know. You’ve got this.” 

Flower stepped away. Sid thought about getting in his car and leaving, but only for half a second. He’d never really been big on running away from his problems. 

“Okay,” he said. “I can do this. I can do this.” 

***

Sid would have liked to say that he was incredibly romantic. That he came running into the foyer just as Katie was shaking Geno’s hand or showing him the door. Or that he came around a corner and ran right into Geno’s arms. That their eyes met and he didn’t have to say a word. 

Perhaps, later, when he told Flower about it, he’d use one of those versions. The reality was that he rounded a corner at a normal pace to spot Katie and Geno up ahead. They were stood in the doorway to the equipment room and Katie was talking to an obviously interested Geno. 

Geno, who was smiling. Geno, who was just as attractive as he’d been all day. Geno, who might say no. 

After all, he was Russian. Being gay and Russian was a big deal. And he hadn’t exactly made it obvious that he liked Sid. He’d flirted, maybe, but Sid was always so bad at that. Maybe he wasn’t flirting. Maybe he was just being nice. 

Sid had almost decided he should go, should tell Flower that Geno had said no and there were no hard feelings, when Geno noticed him. 

And oh, maybe Sid had been worrying for nothing. Because when Geno looked at him, he realised that smile Geno had been directing at Katie wasn’t a real smile. This was a real smile. 

“Sid,” Geno said, taking a little step forward. “You come back.” 

“Yeah,” Sid said, shuffling forward a little himself. “I came back.” 

“Why?” Sid blinked at Katie. “Was there a problem with the sponsor?” 

Shit, Sid did actually have somewhere to be. Why had he asked them to schedule it now? 

“No. I’m going. I will go. I just... can I just talk to Geno for a second?” 

“Well, of course,” Katie said, though she was frowning. 

“Alone?” 

For a second Katie blinked, but then she rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone, heading away down the corridor. Probably to tell the people he was meant to be heading towards that he was going to be late. He didn’t want to be. Didn’t like inconveniencing people, but just this one time. 

He was allowed nice things, after all. 

He grabbed Geno’s elbow and steered him into the equipment room. Luckily, it was deserted. They came to a stop, turned to look at each other. 

This was Sid’s chance. His heart was in his throat. This was his chance. 

“Sid,” Geno said, still right there next to Sid. He stepped in. Let his body press against Sid’s arm and Sid took a shaky breath. Pressed into the touch. “You got something to say?” 

“Would you like to go on a date with me?” 

Geno blinked. “Sid...” 

“I mean, you probably don’t, right? I mean, you’re probably not even gay. I just, I thought I had to ask. I mean, I didn’t have to ask. But I wanted to ask and...” 

“Sid. Yes. I would like.” 

“Oh.” 

Geno smiled his best smile yet. Sid couldn’t help but smile back. 

Geno had said yes. 

Oh. 

“Sid?” A hand brushed against his. Sid turned to see Geno somehow impossibly closer. Pressing into Sid’s space and leaning in. Kissing him. Geno was kissing him. Sid closed his eyes. Leant forward. Went with it. 

All he wanted was to spend the rest of his life in the equipment room kissing this man. 

And then Geno was stepping back. Sid could already feel himself pouting. 

“Give me phone number, yes? We make date.” 

“Oh, yeah.” Sid nodded. Grabbed his phone. Geno chuckled that Sid had to look up his own number but then texted him right away. A Hi and a weird eyeless smile. 

He really wished he could stay in the equipment room a few more minutes, but there was a knock on the door. 

“Sid. You really need to go.” 

She didn’t open the door, which meant she probably had some idea of what was going on in here. Or what might be going on in here. 

Not that Sid would ever do something like that in an equipment room. 

“I’ve really got to go. But text me.” 

“I’m text,” Geno agreed easily. “And we make date.” 

“Yeah. Let’s make a date.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Sid/Geno and, gosh, was that harder to write than I anticipated. This is my third stab at writing something I don't hate so I can only hope that all of you don't hate it too. I went with the idea of a meet ugly though it kind of ended as more meet socially inconvenient. I hope you enjoy it anyway <3


End file.
